California Fish Tacos
By Rebeccah MarstersPublished on June 23, 2013
Time
1¼ hours, plus 30 minutes pickling
Yield
Serves 6
Ingredients
PICKLED ONIONS
1 small red onion, halved and sliced thin2 jalapeño chiles, stemmed and sliced into thin rings1 cup white wine vinegar 2 tablespoons lime juice 1 tablespoon sugar 1 teaspoon table saltCABBAGE
3 cups shredded green cabbage ¼ cup pickling liquid from pickled onions ½ teaspoon table salt ½ teaspoon pepperWHITE SAUCE
½ cup mayonnaise ½ cup sour cream 2 tablespoons lime juice 2 tablespoons milkFISH
2 pounds skinless whitefish fillets, such as cod, haddock, or halibut, cut crosswise into 4 by 1-inch strips1 ½ teaspoons table salt, divided½ teaspoon pepper ¾ cup all-purpose flour ¼ cup cornstarch 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 cup beer 1 quart peanut or vegetable oil for frying24 (6-inch) corn tortillas, warmed1 cup fresh cilantro leavesBefore You Begin
Although this recipe looks involved, all the components are easy to execute and most can be made in advance. Light-bodied American lagers, such as Budweiser, work best here. Cut the fish on a slight bias if your fillets aren’t quite 4 inches wide. You should end up with about 24 pieces of fish. Serve with green salsa, if desired.
Instructions
- Combine 1 small red onion, halved and sliced thin, and 2 thinly sliced jalapeños in medium bowl. Bring 1 cup white wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt to boil in small saucepan. Pour vinegar mixture over onion mixture and let sit for at least 30 minutes. (Pickled onions can be made and refrigerated up to 2 days in advance.)
- Toss 3 cups shredded green cabbage, ¼ cup pickling liquid from pickled onions, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper together in bowl.
- Whisk ½ cup mayonnaise, ½ cup sour cream, 2 tablespoons lime juice, and 2 tablespoons milk together in bowl. (Sauce can be made and refrigerated up to 2 days in advance.)
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Cut 2 pounds skinless whitefish fillets crosswise into 4 by 1-inch strips. Pat fish dry with paper towels and season with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Whisk ¾ cup all-purpose flour, ¼ cup cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt together in large bowl. Add 1 cup beer and whisk until smooth. Transfer fish to batter and toss until evenly coated.
- Add 1 quart peanut oil to large Dutch oven until it measures about ¾ inch deep and heat over medium-high heat to 350 degrees. Working with 5 to 6 pieces at a time, remove fish from batter, allowing excess to drip back into bowl, and add to hot oil, briefly dragging fish along surface of oil to prevent sticking. Adjust burner, if necessary, to maintain oil temperature between 325 and 350 degrees. Fry fish, stirring gently to prevent pieces from sticking together, until golden brown and crispy, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer fish to prepared wire rack and place in oven to keep warm. Return oil to 350 degrees and repeat with remaining fish.
- Divide fish evenly among 24 warmed corn tortillas. Top with pickled onions, cabbage, white sauce, and 1 cup cilantro leaves. Serve.
for the pickled onions
for the cabbage
for the white sauce
for the fish
Time
1¼ hours, plus 30 minutes picklingYield
Serves 6Ingredients
PICKLED ONIONS
1 small red onion, halved and sliced thin
2 jalapeño chiles, stemmed and sliced into thin rings
1 cup white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon table salt
CABBAGE
3 cups shredded green cabbage
¼ cup pickling liquid from pickled onions
½ teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon pepper
WHITE SAUCE
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons milk
FISH
2 pounds skinless whitefish fillets, such as cod, haddock, or halibut, cut crosswise into 4 by 1-inch strips
1 ½ teaspoons table salt, divided
½ teaspoon pepper
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup beer
1 quart peanut or vegetable oil for frying
24 (6-inch) corn tortillas, warmed
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
PICKLED ONIONS
1 small red onion, halved and sliced thin
2 jalapeño chiles, stemmed and sliced into thin rings
1 cup white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon table salt
CABBAGE
3 cups shredded green cabbage
¼ cup pickling liquid from pickled onions
½ teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon pepper
WHITE SAUCE
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons milk
FISH
2 pounds skinless whitefish fillets, such as cod, haddock, or halibut, cut crosswise into 4 by 1-inch strips
1 ½ teaspoons table salt, divided
½ teaspoon pepper
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup beer
1 quart peanut or vegetable oil for frying
24 (6-inch) corn tortillas, warmed
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
PICKLED ONIONS
1 small red onion, halved and sliced thin
2 jalapeño chiles, stemmed and sliced into thin rings
1 cup white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon table salt
CABBAGE
3 cups shredded green cabbage
¼ cup pickling liquid from pickled onions
½ teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon pepper
WHITE SAUCE
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons milk
FISH
2 pounds skinless whitefish fillets, such as cod, haddock, or halibut, cut crosswise into 4 by 1-inch strips
1 ½ teaspoons table salt, divided
½ teaspoon pepper
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup beer
1 quart peanut or vegetable oil for frying
24 (6-inch) corn tortillas, warmed
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
Simple, satisfying, fresh fish tacos from the West Coast combine fried fish, sliced cabbage, and a creamy white sauce in a corn tortilla. We chose mild but sturdy white fish for our tacos and tossed it in an ultrathin beer batter to avoid a thick, bready coating. Cornstarch and baking powder in the batter ensure that the fish fries up golden brown and crispy. A quick pickle of red onions and jalapeños adds color and spice to the tacos, and we use a portion of the vinegary pickling liquid to dress shredded cabbage. Our creamy white sauce gets tang from lime juice and sour cream, and fresh cilantro leaves are the finishing touch.
Before You Begin
Although this recipe looks involved, all the components are easy to execute and most can be made in advance. Light-bodied American lagers, such as Budweiser, work best here. Cut the fish on a slight bias if your fillets aren’t quite 4 inches wide. You should end up with about 24 pieces of fish. Serve with green salsa, if desired.
Instructions
- Combine 1 small red onion, halved and sliced thin, and 2 thinly sliced jalapeños in medium bowl. Bring 1 cup white wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt to boil in small saucepan. Pour vinegar mixture over onion mixture and let sit for at least 30 minutes. (Pickled onions can be made and refrigerated up to 2 days in advance.)
- Toss 3 cups shredded green cabbage, ¼ cup pickling liquid from pickled onions, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper together in bowl.
- Whisk ½ cup mayonnaise, ½ cup sour cream, 2 tablespoons lime juice, and 2 tablespoons milk together in bowl. (Sauce can be made and refrigerated up to 2 days in advance.)
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Cut 2 pounds skinless whitefish fillets crosswise into 4 by 1-inch strips. Pat fish dry with paper towels and season with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Whisk ¾ cup all-purpose flour, ¼ cup cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt together in large bowl. Add 1 cup beer and whisk until smooth. Transfer fish to batter and toss until evenly coated.
- Add 1 quart peanut oil to large Dutch oven until it measures about ¾ inch deep and heat over medium-high heat to 350 degrees. Working with 5 to 6 pieces at a time, remove fish from batter, allowing excess to drip back into bowl, and add to hot oil, briefly dragging fish along surface of oil to prevent sticking. Adjust burner, if necessary, to maintain oil temperature between 325 and 350 degrees. Fry fish, stirring gently to prevent pieces from sticking together, until golden brown and crispy, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer fish to prepared wire rack and place in oven to keep warm. Return oil to 350 degrees and repeat with remaining fish.
- Divide fish evenly among 24 warmed corn tortillas. Top with pickled onions, cabbage, white sauce, and 1 cup cilantro leaves. Serve.
for the pickled onions
for the cabbage
for the white sauce
for the fish
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